Poole suction catheter



United States Patent 2/1902 Westlake...................... 2,614,56310/1952 Devine...... 2,930,378 3,314,430

[72] Inventors David S. Sheridan Argyle; Ralph D. Alley, Loudonville,New York [21] Appl. No. 670,564 I [22] Filed Sept. 26, 1967 [45]Patented Sept. 15, 1970 OTHER REFERENCES A Simple Device for Left HeartDecompres- [73] Assignee By mesne assignments, to Bea" et a] SherwoodMedical Industries Inc. a corporation of Delaware 51011 DuringCardiopulmonary Bypass, J. Thorac. and Card.

Surg., vol. 43, No.3, March 1962, pp. 406 407. Primary Examiner-DaltonL. Truluck [54] POOLE SUCTION CATHETER Attorney-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen,Stellman and McCord 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: A surgical drain catheter including a cannula having aplurality of radially facing drain apertures and a tubular casing overthe cannula, the tubular casing also having a plurality of radiallyfacing drain apertures,'characterized by the provision of a generallyaxially facing drain aperture at e distal end of the catheter fordirectly axially draining fluid from a surgical field.

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POOLE SUCTION CATHETER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention This invention relates to catheters and more particularly to adrain catheter for use during surgery to remove fluid from a surgicalfield.

2. Description of the Prior Art Generally speaking, drain catheters arewell-known in the art. Typically these catheters include a generallycylindrical cannula having radially facing drain apertures and a tubularcasing also having generally radially facing apertures, generallyconcentrically positioned over the cannula. Means are usually providedfor connecting the cannula to a source of negative pressure or the likefor establishing suction so that, when the catheter is positioned withthe distal end thereof in a fluid pool in the surgical field, the fluidmay be drained through the apertures. Examples of such catheterconstruction are found in the Alley et al. Pat. 3,314,430, issued April18, 1967 and assigned to the assignee of this invention as well asOverment Pat. 3,108,595, issued October 29, 1963, and Buyers Pat.2,930,378, issued March 29, 1960. In all of these structures, the distaltip of the drain catheter is enclosed, and the cannula is fastened tothe tubular casing in the distal end in such a fashion as to prevent thepossibility of an opening being established therethrough.

Sheridan Pat. 3,042,044, issued July 3, 1962, and Honsacker Pat.1,879,249, issued September 27, 1932, show medical tubes for use in theintestinal area wherein the tube has an open distal end. However, thetubes shown in these patents are not intended for use in draining asurgical field and are not suited for such in that they are not of thedual tubular construction which is typical of surgical drain cathetersas shown in the aforementioned Alley, Buyers and Overment patents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed, in brief, to theprovision of a surgical drain catheter of the type having a cannula withradially outwardly extending apertures and a tubular casing over thecannula, the tubular casing also having radially outwardly extendingapertures, characterized in that an axially extending aperture is formedthrough the casing and cannula at the distal end of the catheter. Also,preferably the cannula is formed of a substantially rigid material tominimize flexure thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of thedrain catheter of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the drain catheter ofthis invention taken generally along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken generally along the lines 33 of FIG. 2;and

FIG. 4 is a section view taken generally along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The surgical drain catheter ofthis invention includes a generally circular cylindrical cannula 12which is substantially enclosed within a generally circular cylindricaltubular casing 14. Preferably both the cannula and easing are made of aplastic material which is transparent or partially transparent. Thecatheter has a distal end generally indicated 16, which is intended forinsertion into a surgical field during use, and a proximal end 18, whichis intended for connection with a suitable means for establishing adrain flow from the surgical field, such as by connecting the catheterto a source of negative pressure or the like.

A first set of oppositely spaced and axially elongate apertures 20a areprovided near the distal end of the cannula l2. Apertures 20a areoriented so as to face generally radially outwardly. The extreme distaltip of the cannula is provided with an axially extending opening 22.Proximal extension 24 of the cannula forms a connector for connectionfor a suitable means for establishing a drain, such as a source ofnegative pressure or the like.

The distal end portion of casing 14 also includes a plurality of sets ofoppositely disposed axially elongate apertures 26a and 26b, each ofwhich faces radially outwardly. Preferably, the two sets 26a and 26b areoriented generally at right angles to each other and are laterallymisaligned with respect to the axial extent of the casing. The apertures26a and 26b'are smaller than the apertures 20a and the first set ofapertures 26b are axially spaced away from the distal end of thecatheter a distance greater than the apertures 20a in the cannula 12.The extreme distal end of the interior of the tubular casing is providedwith a radially projecting annular shoulder 28 which terminates in acircular opening 30 generally of a size and shape to receive the distalend of cannula 12 so that axially facing opening 22 opens to theexterior of the catheter. The opening 30 tends to support and hold thecannula 12 generally centrally of the casing 14.

Vent apertures 32 may be formed near the proximal end of the casing toestablish a vent when the catheter is in use. The proximal neck 34 ofcasing 14 is in substantially sealing engagement with enlarged area 36of the connector portion 24 of cannula 12. If desired, the cathetercould be provided with means establishing an X-ray opaque line in thewall of the tubular casing in a manner as shown in the Alley et al. Pat.3,314,430.

Preferably the cannula 12 is made substantially rigid to lend rigidityto the overall catheter facilitating insertional orientation thereof inuse. The catheter is used by being inserted vertically in a patient andattached to a suitable source of negative pressure for withdrawingfluids from the surgical field during an operation through the radiallyand axially facing apertures. The provision of the axially facingopening at the extreme distal end of the catheter permits the withdrawalof liquids from the surgical field when the liquid level is extremelylow. Thus the surgical field is maintained extremely clean without thenecessity for stopping the withdrawal action or the necessity ofutilizing other means to completely drain the surgical field.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in theart.

We claim:

1. A medical drain for use during surgical operations, comprising: acylindrical substantially rigid cannula having a distal end and aproximal end, connecting means on the proximal end of the cannula forconnecting the cannula to a source of negative pressure, radially facingdrain apertures near the distal end of the cannula, an axially facingdrain aperture at the distal end of the cannula, a cylindricalsubstantially flexible casing surrounding said cannula, said casinghaving a distal end and a proximal end overlying the cannulacontinuously from the distal end to the connecting means on the proximalend thereof, a plurality of axially and circumferentially spacedradially facing drain apertures formed through the wall of said casingthroughout a substantial portion of the distal end of said casing, thedistalmost drain apertures in said casing being spaced axially away fromthe radially facing drain apertures in the cannula, the distal end ofsaid casing having an axially facing bore formed centrally thereof andspaced inwardly from the inner walls of said casing, said axially facingbore in the casing having a wall sealingly and permanently engaged withthe distal end of the cannula on the external wall surface between saidradial facing apertures and axial facing drain aperture of the cannulawhereby said cannula is centrally spaced with respect to said casing,and a vent opening formed in said casing near the proximal end thereoffor venting the space between the cannula and casing.

3 4 2. The medical drain of claim 1 wherein the radially facing casingare each provided with openings which are misaligned drain apertures inthe cannula are formed in a generally 013- with the openings in theother.

4. The medical drain of claim 1 wherein the axially facing openings ofthe cannula are larger than the openings in the 5 casing.

positely facing set and wherein the radially facing drain apertures ofthe casing are formed in generally oppositely facing sets.

3. The medical drain of claim 1 wherein the cannula and

